Page 123 - policy and procedure infection control

Policies and Procedures on Infection Control

2. Cleaning of Dental unit waterlines
• Flush lines for 1 minute each morning.
• Flush hand pieces with air/water for 20 to 30 seconds before use on a patient.
• Satisfactory reduction of microbiological counts from waterlines cannot be achieved
by above methods only
• Dental units should have a separate water reservoir system to the hand pieces
• Dental units should filter water from the domestic water supply
• Hand pieces should have anti-retraction valves
Consider using a dental unit with a self-contained water purification system

3. Dental hand pieces
Dental hand pieces must be sterilised and re-process before use on each patient in
accordance to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Flush hand piece air/water lines with bur inserted prior to removing hand piece
from hose
• Clean and dry hand piece
• Clean and lubricate hand piece using an appropriate cleaning and lubricating
spray. - It is advisable to use an automated hand piece cleaning and lubricating
system for this purpose.
• Pack and autoclave.
• Non autoclavable hand pieces should not be used. If the use of such a hand
piece is unavoidable, the hand piece must the wiped thoroughly with a high level
disinfectant after flushing with the cleaner and lubricant. If the hand piece needs
to be reused immediately, a rapidly acting disinfectant (i.e. alcohol based) is
used
• Flush air/water lines in hose before re-attaching hand piece
• Open package and lubricate, using a separate cleaning and lubricating spray
canister
• Attach to hose and expel excess lubricant (with bur inserted).
4. Components permanently attached to dental unit waterlines
• Examples include handles or dental unit attachments of saliva ejectors, high-
speed air evacuators, and air/water syringe.
• These are likely to become contaminated with blood and body fluids during a
procedure.
• They can be covered with protective barriers that are changed after each procedure.
• If not covered during use, they must be cleaned and disinfected with an appropriate
disinfectant after use on each patient.

112 Ministry of Health Malaysia